Drink up at Finger Lakes' Wine Festival

Independence Day is reason enough to take in some of the great festivals and events taking place in July. However, as many events as there will be taking place over the July 4th weekend, there are tons of other great festivals happening throughout the month. While we included a couple Fourth of July weekend festivities, we've also featured some other can't-miss events for the upcoming month.

Finger Lakes Wine Festival: With temperatures being hot this time of year, it's a great time to head north. With so many great wine regions in the U.S., the Finger Lakes of New York often get overlooked. Nonetheless, the Finger Lakes Wine Festival is a great way to learn about and experience the region's wine offerings. For the beer connoisseur, there's a beer garden for guests to sample local and regional microbrews.

Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival: Many of the major cities in the U.S. are throwing huge Independence Day weekend events; however, for something a little more low-key, then Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival is for you. Enjoy live performances from some of the worlds best blues' performers on the beautiful Portland waterfront. Other activities include food vendors and July 4th fireworks over the Willamette River.

California Wine Festival: Evidently, July is the month for drinking wine and there's no better place to do it than California. California has long been the most renowned wine region of the U.S., with Napa and Sonoma leading the way. The California Wine Festival takes place along the waterfront of Santa Barbara. In addition to wine sampling, there are local restaurant vendors, seminars, and live music.

Bele Chere: Bele Chere takes place in the quaint mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina. However, with some of the things you may see here, you may feel like you're in New York City or San Francisco. This is one of the most unique music festivals the south has to offer. The festival features tons of regional and local musicians, as well as a few popular musicians. Other activities include beer gardens, food vendors, and art merchants.

Boston Harborfest: It's hard to narrow down all the great Independence Day weekend festivals to just one, but if there's one you should visit, make it the Boston Harborfest. This has been one of the most famous July 4th festivals and for good reason. The event stretches over several days with live music, parades, food contests, and one day just for kids. The grand finale is the July 4th fireworks spectacular.